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The Internet Society Partners with Network Operators Group to Boost Technology Training in Africa

21 January 2016

Fellowship program aimed at increasing participation of women in the operation of African Internet networks

[Addis Ababa, Ethiopia] In an agreement signed with the African Network Operators Group (AfNOG), the Internet Society has announced today that it will contribute USD 150,000 to support an improved offering of network technology training programs in Africa.

AfNOG serves as a forum for technical coordination and cooperation among African Internet service providers and network engineers from the region’s universities, research institutions, and industry. The Internet Society’s support to AfNOG will focus on three key areas:1.Development of AfNOG’s Network Technology training programs and workshops;2.Development and update of AfNOG’s Network Technology workshop course materials; and 3.Advancement of individual fellowship program to further attendance to AfNOG’s Network Technology workshops. The Internet Society and AfNOG have agreed to an increased emphasis on women’s participation in the fellowship program.

Announcing the agreement, Dawit Bekele, Director of the Internet Society’s African Regional Bureau, stated that, “More than 20% of Africa’s population was active online in 2015 ─ a critical level of adoption for the Internet to start making an economic impact. Technical skills training plays an important role in creating this opportunity and in contributing to our vision of ‘an Internet for Everyone’. For this reason, we have supported technical skills training for the operation of Internet networks worldwide for more than two decades, and we are proud to extend our support through AfNOG to build a better, stronger Internet for the continent.”

Internet Hall of Fame inductee, Jonathan B. Postel Service Award recipient and AfNOG Convener Prof. Nii Quaynor further noted that, “The values of building Technical Capacity, developing local communities and Internet growth that AfNOG and the Internet Society share have enabled the creation of so much Internet technical capacity in Africa since 2000. The multi-year funding support from the Internet Society will reinforce our cooperation and enhance the quality of our Training Programs to the benefit of the Africa Technical community."

About the Internet SocietyThe Internet Society, www.internetsociety.org, is the trusted independent source for Internet information and thought leadership from around the world. It is also the organizational home for the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). With its principled vision and substantial technological foundation, the Internet Society promotes open dialogue on Internet policy, technology, and future development among users, companies, governments, and other organizations. Working with its members and Chapters around the world, the Internet Society enables the continued evolution and growth of the Internet for everyone.

About AfNOGAfNOG, http://www.afnog.org,is a forum for cooperation and the exchange of technical information between operators of Internet-connected networks in Africa. AfNOG aims at building a community of engineers helping each other operate Internet Infrastructure in Africa, and on the Global Internet as well as promote the discussion of issues relating to implementation of new networks that require community cooperation.